Doubting Thomas

00:00:00 Speaker 1: Now, faith is the assurance of things hoped for, proof of things not seen Hebrews eleven One. Heavenly Father, we are filled with awe and gratitude. Lord, in a world that often demands tangible proof, Grant us the courage to walk by faith, not by sight. Help us to trust in your promises and your presence, even when the path ahead is unclear. May our faith be the firm foundation upon which we build our lives, a steadfast confidence in your loving plan for us. Strengthen our belief in the unseen, and let our lives be a testament to the enduring power of faith. In Jesus name, we pray Amen. Thank you for praying with me today. You're listening to the Jesus Podcast, where we bring the Gospel to life like you've never heard it. Stay with us to delve into the captivating journey of Christ's story. If this podcast has brought value to your faith, we'd love it if you left a review and shared it with a friend. We want the story of Jesus to be known throughout the world, because when Jesus' story is told, lives are transformed. Peace be with you, he said again, his voice radiating divine love. 00:01:30 Speaker 2: As the Father has sent me, even so I am sending you. 00:01:34 Speaker 1: He had all of the disciples stand. Then, in an act that echoed the days of creation with Adam and Eve in the garden of Eden, Jesus exhaled a large breath and. 00:01:47 Speaker 2: Said, receive the Holy Spirit. 00:01:50 Speaker 1: At that moment, the disciples were like Adam when God first formed him from the dust of the earth. He breathed life into them, filling them with new purpose for the days ahead. The disciples hearts and minds were open to the divine truth, and their understanding of the scriptures was enlightened. They realized that Jesus was the cornerstone of God's grand narrative, present from the beginning, working tirelessly for humanity's redemption. 00:02:29 Speaker 2: If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them. If you withhold forgiveness from any, it is withhealth. 00:02:37 Speaker 1: Jesus said this, and his eyes darted over to Peter. Then, without warning or pretense, he vanished. As Jesus disappeared, Peter's anguish surged. He had missed another chance for redemption, his opportunity to repent. The disciples who were left in a whirlwind of emotion, awed by the miracle they had witnessed, yet grimming with questions unanswered. Jesus said that blessed are those who haven't seen, yet still believe. Have you ever wrestled with the need for evidence? Has doubt robbed you of experiencing the joy of Jesus? You're not alone. One of Jesus's closest disciples struggled with doubt, and as it turns out, his doubt was less about a lack of faith and more about insecurity. This is the Jesus Podcast. The month of April has been dedicated to the story of the resurrection and the slow process of belief. Today's story is inspired by John twenty Verses twenty four through twenty nine. In our last episode, Jesus visited the apostles and gave them his spirit. The Apostles, once reeling in shame, were renewed and empowered, But there was one notable absence, Thomas. Thomas is often called the doubter, but I think that's a harsh title. Thomas's doubt isn't unique. We all struggle with our faith at times. This story will showcase Thomas's gritty, an emotional path towards faith. Let's immerse ourselves in the cinematic retelling of John twenty Afterward, let's unpack the themes of doubt, faith and belief. Together. 00:04:16 Speaker 3: Let's go. 00:04:18 Speaker 1: The disciples stood right where Jesus had vanished. They were silent for a long, glorious moment, mine's racing with questions. A few moments later, the door opened. The disciples thought it might be Jesus again, but it was Thomas. He was back from the marketplace with a basket of dates and carrots. 00:04:40 Speaker 4: The passover always makes the merchants harder to haggle with travelers. Bring up the prices. I got what I could with what little we had. 00:04:48 Speaker 1: Thomas placed the basket on the table and sat down. He rubbed his temples, groaned, and leaned back. He was so tired that he didn't even bother to look at his companions. Nobody greeted him. He looked up. Everyone's eyes were filled with tears, faces beaming with hope. 00:05:08 Speaker 2: What is it? 00:05:08 Speaker 1: Thomas asked suspiciously. Thomas was an overthinker, often unable to accept things at face value. He was usually suspicious of good things, often waiting for the other shoe to drop, Ah, he's returned. John shouted, Jesus has risen from the dead. 00:05:26 Speaker 3: He was here. 00:05:27 Speaker 1: The disciples all took turns telling Thomas what had happened. They were frantic, excited, and confused all at once. Thomas leaned over the table and thought for a moment. He pursed his lips and stroked his beard. Finally, he sighed shook his head. 00:05:47 Speaker 4: I wish it were true, my friends, but we're all exhausted. Clearly you were seeing things. 00:05:54 Speaker 1: John sat down next to Thomas and placed a hand on his shoulder. 00:05:58 Speaker 3: How could we all have the same rucimations? 00:06:01 Speaker 2: Thomas believe our words. 00:06:03 Speaker 1: His recently, Thomas gave a compassionate and condescending smile. 00:06:09 Speaker 4: John, I believe that you believe what you saw was real. But I can't believe Jesus has risen from the dead. We all saw what happened to him. 00:06:23 Speaker 1: There was a somber pause as Thomas held back emotion. 00:06:27 Speaker 4: There's no coming back from something like that. Unless I see the scars in his hands, I can't believe it was him, Thomas, It's true. 00:06:36 Speaker 1: Simon added, I could. 00:06:38 Speaker 4: Barely believe my eyes, but he was right here with us. He blessed us and told us to receive the Holy Spirit. 00:06:48 Speaker 1: Enough, Thomas yelled. He stood up from the table and grabbed his coat. 00:06:53 Speaker 4: If you were all so certain that Jesus has risen, then tell me this. Why hasn't he appeared before the temple? Why hasn't he proven the Pharisees wrong, Why hasn't he gotten revenge on the Romans? And why didn't he come when I was here? 00:07:09 Speaker 1: With that last question, Thomas left and slammed the door behind him. Bereaved and ashamed, he walked down the dirt path to the Sea of Galilee. He sat in the sand, shaking from anger and grief. Thomas's doubt was a symptom of the deep hurt within. Trust didn't come easy to Thomas. He had lived his entire life as a skeptic, rarely giving his allegiance to anyone out of fear of disappointment. But he chose to follow Jesus. He put his trust in Jesus. When he died, he was confirmation that Thomas couldn't trust anyone. His faith had led him down a path of grief, So to save himself from more pain, he chose dout the midnight breeze chilled Thomas's cheeks. No clouds were in the sky, just a condescent tapestry of stars painted the firmament. Thomas wept, without anyone around to hear him. Eight days passed since Jesus appeared to his disciples, long enough for Thomas's heart to grow more calloused. Yet the other ten were sure of what they saw. The Holy Spirit dwelling within them reassured them even in the unseen. Their encounter with Jesus tethered them to faith. Thomas's countenance was tense. His doubt had turned to bitterness, creating a distance between he and the others. They were working in the courtyard of the house, preparing for a meal. Thomas reached up to the shelf to grab a pot of salt, but he stumbled and fell to the floor. The pots shattered near his feet, spilling salt everywhere. Thomas yelled in frustration, making the entire room go silent. He was pent up with anger and becoming unhinged. Then, like the sound of a babbling brook beside a garden, Thomas heard a familiar voice. Peace be with you, Thomas. Thomas froze. He knew that voice. It was the voice that had called him long ago. He turned around and saw Jesus standing there above him. Look, Thomas asked, with a shaking voice. 00:09:42 Speaker 4: It can't be. 00:09:43 Speaker 1: Jesus knelt down and smiled at Thomas. The warmth of his gaze melted his cold heart. Jesus reached out his hands for Thomas to see. His hands were scarred where the nails had been driven in by the Romans. Thomas reached out and touched him. He ran his thumbs over the scars, slowly realizing the truth. Jesus gestured to his feet. Red scars were on them as well. They were pierced for you, Jesus said, with a gentle and firm voice. Thomas saw the scars, but they weren't what convinced him. It was Jesus' familiar gaze. Behind his kind eyes held the secrets of eternal life. His eyes began to water, and his heart welled up with uncontrollable joy. 00:10:39 Speaker 4: My Lord, Thomas wept, My God. 00:10:45 Speaker 1: He cried out loudly. Thomas threw his arms around Jesus, like a lost child, returning to his father's arms. Jesus held him, allowing his comfort to wash over him. 00:10:59 Speaker 2: Your bless my dear Thomas. You've seen me, You've seen my scars and heard my voice and believed. Jesus said, but there are those who will not get to see me. They will not touch my scars, will see my face, yet they will believe. 00:11:16 Speaker 1: More. 00:11:17 Speaker 2: Blessed of those who do not see me yet still believe. 00:11:21 Speaker 1: After this, Jesus vanished again. Thomas wiped his eyes and was renewed with purpose. He lifted his gaze to heaven and received God's spirit. There was no turning back. All doubt that clouded Thomas's mind had vanished like a vapor. Jesus was alive, and Thomas would never be the same again. Should our faith require evidence? Now that's a tricky question. Hebrews eleven one tells us that faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. Faith doesn't require evidence. Faith is our evidence. Does that make you uncomfortable? It should a little bit. 00:12:09 Speaker 3: Faith isn't supposed to be grounded in material things. 00:12:12 Speaker 1: Necessarily. 00:12:13 Speaker 3: Faith is an embodied belief that what we have heard from God is true. Therefore we act upon that truth. The evidence often comes later once we start living out our faith and our lives begin to change. I find it interesting that the Gospel of John often emphasizes belief based on witnessing the miraculous, but at the very end we are encouraged to believe even though we haven't seen Jesus ourselves. Al throughout the Gospel of John, people are discovering who Jesus is through his miracles and acts of compassion. But Peter has some profound insight into what cultivates faith true in abiding faith, he said this, and tecond Peter one. For we did not follow cleverly devised myths, and we have made known to you the power of the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. But we were eyewitnesses to his majesty. For when we received honor and glory free from God the Father, and the voice was born to him by the majestic glory. This is my beloved son, with whom I am well pleased. We ourselves heard this very voice born from heaven, for we were with him on the holy mountain. And we have the prophetic word more fully confirmed, to which you will do well to pay attention to. As a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts. Knowing this first of all, that no prophecy of scripture comes from someone's own interpretation. For no prophecy was ever produced by the will of man. But men spoke from God. As they were carried along by the Holy Spirit, Peter got to behold miraculous things. He even saw the heavens open up wide, and he heard a voice booming saying, this is my beloved son, in whom I am well pleased. But Peter said that the word of God is more substantial than witnessing miracles. The fulfilled prophecies, proclaimed words, and story arcs of redemption serve our hearts even more than seeing a few miracles. This emphasis this is not merely about physical seeing, but understanding and accepting the revelation of God in Christ. Thomas's doubt is not unique. We shouldn't be too harsh with him. His doubt was more than intellectual skepticism. Doubt in God rarely boils down to a simple lack of evidence. A mentor of mine was once in a room with a skeptic. This man said that if he had saw a miracle, then he would believe in Jesus. So this pastor challenged him. He said, if I cut off my hand right now and you saw it grow right before your eyes, would you then confess Jesus Christ as your Lord and savior. Would you sell everything you had, and would you dedicate your life to the mission field. Would you admit your sins and your shortcomings and start to live a life of purity, righteousness in striving after God. The man paused. He considered the question, considered if that type of miracle, a hand regrowing right before his eyes, would be sufficient to change his heart. The man shrugged, pursed his lips, and said, well, maybe, but maybe not. Doubt in God rarely boils down to a simple lack of evidence. Usually there is more at work underneath the surface. When people doubt God their shame from past sins. There's trials and hurt that they haven't worked through. Maybe there's church hurt and they've been betrayed by trusted members of God's people. Doubt is rarely skin deep, and the miraculous is rarely enough to convince our calloused hearts. Remember that the Pharisees and the priests also witness miracles. Remember the people of Israel had witnessed God do amazing things by sending plagues to free them from Egypt. They had walked through parted seas, they had seen man A fall from heaven and water come from rocks. But even still they erected a statue in place of God. They worshiped the Golden Calf. So all these miracles were not enough for the people of Israel to change course. Miracles aren't simply enough. The physical evidence of God's presence is not enough. There has to be a transformation of heart, and there has to be something that the Word of God does to change our lives. Thomas's doubt is a deeply human response. It's crucial to acknowledge doubt as a part of the faith journey, not as the antithesis of it. Even John the Baptist struggled with his faith. Like Thomas, many experienced disappointment or loss that can lead to their skepticism. Today's episode and vice us to bring our doubts to Jesus and not to hide them. When we harbor doubt and refuse to process things, it can lead to bitterness. Thomas's heart grew callous when he contrasted his lack of faith with the disciples don't compare your faith to others. Bring the real you to the real Jesus. Wrestle with your doubt, ask questions, and be honest with God and yourself. This will lead to healing and a stronger faith. Eventually, Thomas's doubt was multifaceted. He had to wrestle with his unmet expectations. He, like many Jews of the time, had probably assumed the Messiah was supposed to overthrow Rome. But Jesus didn't meet his expectations. You see, when we project our our own expectations onto God and he doesn't meet those expectations, we set ourselves up for failure. Angering ourselves in God's word is crucial, so we don't unfairly assume something about God that he has not declared about himself. For example, many people believe that if you follow Jesus, you will become wealthy and never get sick. I, Pastor Zach, right now, I'm dealing with a cold. I'm a follower of Jesus, I'm faithful to him. Why am I sick? Right now? You see, many preachers have dedicated their entire careers to convincing you that God will always make you happy, wealthy, and healthy. But what happens when you lose your job, What happens when family members mock you for your faith? What happens when you get a bad diagnosis. If your faith is anchered in false promises and expectations, you're going to open yourself up to doubt. But if you read God's word, you'll know that hardship is a part of your faith journey. You'll know that God doesn't heal everybody. But if you're ignorant to his word, your faith will crumble under unmet expectations. Another nugget of wisdom found in this episode is that faith is often a journey. This is something that we explored with Peter and will continue to explore. Thomas doesn't believe Jesus right away. He needs to go through his own process of doubt in then eventually finding faith. Let this encourage anyone with friends or family who have not yet believed. Some people take more time than others. Moments of doubt don't define our entire lives. How we respond to them, though, does. Thomas's response to Jesus can be an encouragement to persevere in our faith, ask questions, but eventually find hope in the presence of God. Wherever you are in your journey to day, I pray God's love and grace over you. May He reveal himself to you through his word and the loving community of christ Church. Thomas's story is a powerful testament to the journey from skepticism to faith. It's a reminder that doubt, when confronted with the truth of Christ's presence, can lead to a deeper, more authentic faith, an abiding faith that's stronger than it was before. As modern day believers, we are called to trust in the risen Christ even though we haven't seen him, and to find strength and assurance in the reality of His resurrection even if we haven't beheld him ourselves. I pray today's story has blessed you and will continue to bless you as you meditate on it. If this podcast is blessed, you be sure to follow it and subscribe. Doing so make sure you never have to miss an episode. But it also helps us get discovered by more people. We want the story of Jesus to be experienced, known, and loved throughout the nations. Thanks for making that possible.